Description
Ina Garten’s Brisket Chili brings hearty Texas-style comfort to your dinner table with rich, slow-cooked beef and deep, complex flavors. Robust spices and tender meat create a soul-warming dish that promises to become a family favorite for cozy nights and casual gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 3–4 pounds beef brisket, trimmed
- 4 slices thick cut bacon
Spices and Seasonings:
- 3 ½ tablespoons Texas chili powder, such as Mexene or Gebhardt’s
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon chipotle chile powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Liquid and Aromatics:
- 1 quart (4 cups) beef broth
- ½ cup strong black coffee
- 28 ounces whole tomatoes, in juice
- 2 cups white onion, small diced (one large onion)
- 5 garlic cloves, pressed through a garlic press
Garnish:
- Sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- White onion
- Fritos
- Tabasco sauce
- Jalapenos
Instructions
- Meticulously trim and prepare a 3-brisket, removing excess fat and cutting into precise quarter-inch (0.64 centimeters) cubes.
- Reserve the brisket point for an alternative culinary creation.
- In a spacious cast-iron pot, render four bacon slices until achieving a crisp, golden-brown texture. Extract the bacon and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Elevate the stovetop temperature to medium-high, utilizing the rendered bacon fat to sear meat cubes in strategic batches, ensuring each piece develops a rich, caramelized exterior.
- Generously season the meat cubes with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and aromatic onion powder during the browning process, transferring each batch to a separate holding bowl.
- Within the same pot, introduce diced white onions, sprinkling a pinch of salt to encourage caramelization. Gently scrape the pot’s bottom to incorporate flavorful browned remnants.
- Incorporate a blend of selected spices, stirring thoroughly into the onion mixture. Allow two minutes of gentle cooking before introducing pressed garlic, continuing to stir for an additional minute.
- Reintroduce the previously browned meat cubes into the pot, creating a harmonious mixture.
- Pour robust coffee and two cups (473 milliliters) of premium beef broth, stirring comprehensively to blend flavors.
- Manually crush whole tomatoes, adding them alongside their natural juices to the pot. Crumble the reserved bacon throughout the mixture.
- Securely cover the pot and reduce heat, allowing the mixture to simmer gently for approximately 2.5-3 hours, developing deep, complex flavors.
- Periodically monitor liquid levels, supplementing with an additional two cups (473 milliliters) of beef broth as necessary.
- Optional: Enhance with several drops of tabasco pepper sauce for additional zest.
- Present the hearty creation garnished with freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese, finely minced white onion, and crisp Frito corn chips.
Notes
- Trim excess fat carefully, ensuring a lean and flavorful chili without excess grease.
- Adjust spice levels by reducing chipotle and Texas chili powder, using paprika for a gentler heat profile.
- Thicken the chili naturally by stirring in cornmeal or masa harina mixed with water during the final cooking stage.
- Boost depth of flavor with fire-roasted tomatoes, adding Worcestershire sauce or liquid smoke for complexity.
- Swap beef broth with vegetable or chicken broth, understanding the subtle taste variation that will occur.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 500 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg